The Thunder Rolls
by ASlaveToWords
Summary: Hillary awakes late in the morning only to realize her husband isn't beside her. Her thoughts darken as they play on an unwanted image she'd long been denying. The storm outside is nothing compared to the one about to stir up between the two. TysonX?


**A/N:** Again, another song fic. This one is 'The Thunder Rolls' By 'Garth Brooks'.Like always, the words not in quotations are lyrics to the song.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade, any of the characters or the song I 'borrowed' in this fic.

* * *

Tyson Granger gripped the wheel hard as he tried his best to keep on the road, fighting against the occasional gust of wind blowing his car sideways and the scatter raindrop obscuring his view.

"I knew I should have left earlier!" He grumbled in annoyance. But his temper quickly cooled when he remembered the reason he hadn't.

Soft, skilled hands caressing him. Tender, warm lips caressing every inch of flesh on his body. And those eyes. Those beautiful, gorgeous eyes.

The blunette shivered as he remembered the sensations he'd felt in his lovers embrace. He never felt so alive, so fulfilled, so -- complete, as he felt in this person's arms. They were meant to be. But it was forbidden. In their world, things were better the way they were, things were easier. It was better this way.

Tyson bit his lip as he remembered the feeling of his lover's hot breath sweeping past his ear while they made love.

_"She doesn't deserve you Tyson..." _The voice had whispered lovingly. _"She can't love you like I can. Stay with me... why leave and go back to being unhappy when I can make you happy all the time? I know you don't want to leave. So stay."_

The whispered, almost desperate words had been accompanied by a nibble at his ear; and combined with the feelings he was already experiencing, it was enough to send Tyson over the edge. The blunette screamed out as his fingernails dug into the soft flesh of his lovers back. When the stars had finally diminished as he'd come down from his high, Tyson pulled his lover close and kissed the soft, tender lips deep and hungrily. When he finally pulled away, he placed a few fleeting kisses on the beautiful face and ran his fingers through the soft hair.

_"You know I can't stay with you...."_ He'd whispered back regretfully. _"I have to go back to her... Things are easier this way, you know they are. I-I have a wife, and-"  
_  
The blunette stopped and winced against the stabbing pain that seared through him upon seeing the pained, pleading look his lover gave him.

_"Oh God!"_ He pleaded_. "Please don't do this! Please! I wish I could stay, but I'm married for God sake! I shouldn't even be here at all!"_

_"But you don't love her, you love me!"_

Tyson swallowed against the raw emotion constricting his throat, nearly spilling his own tears over the tortured pain in his lovers voice and face.

_"Yes, I do..."_ He choked hoarsely. _"And I would do anything to be with you, but I can't! I just can't! We should both be thankful to have what we have! Do you want to lose that?"_

The eyes opposite him glossed over and gathered pools of tears threatening to fall. Tyson resisted a shiver as a delicate kiss was placed on his tanned chest.

_"No... of course not... I'm thankful to have you as much as I do... It's just so bittersweet."_

Tyson frowned and leaned up to press a loving kiss to the lips hovering over him. The kiss was returned lovingly, passionately, and this started something new-

The blunette jerked the wheel to the side, nearly having gone off the road from not paying attention. Why should he return? Why should he want to? He'd settled for this woman, this person he called 'wife' thinking he could forget his past love. But they'd both fooled themselves and proved this to be impossible. It wasn't long before the blunette found his way back into the arms he seemed unable to avoid. His wife was just an excuse, just a reason for people to leave him alone. Sure, he liked her, he appreciated her, he even loved her -- just not in the way a husband should love his wife. So if he didn't love her, why not leave her and go to the one he really loved? Why not leave and be with the one he really loved? Because it would complicate things. It would change things. And for someone who felt he had things figured out, who loved stability and hated change, Tyson Granger didn't want to make that happen.

_Three thirty in the morning,  
Not a soul in sight,  
The city's lookin' like a ghost town  
On a moonless summer night.  
Raindrops on the windshield,  
There's a storm moving in.  
He's headin' back from somewhere  
That he never should have been.  
And the thunder rolls.  
And the thunder rolls._

* * *

Hillary Tatibana-Granger was usually a sound sleeper, but this night a loud boom in the distance awoke her from her deep sleep. She rolled over to wrap her arms around her spouse but was met only with thin air. Her brows furrowed and big, brown eyes blinked open in confusion. Where was Tyson? Looking over at the clock beside the bed, a frown etched onto her face as she noted the time. The blunette should have been back hours ago, he was only supposed to have gone out on a short business venture.

Another loud boom sounded in the distance and Hillary threw back the covers and bolted out of her room and down a flight of stairs.

When she'd reached the living room, the brunette rushed over to the end table by the couch and checked the caller ID. Nope, no phone calls. A sickening feeling began to build in her stomach as yet another rumble of thunder was heard, this time not so far away.

"Where is he?" She whispered to herself. "It shouldn't have taken him this long..."

A thought took hold of her mind and she gasped loudly. She pictured Tyson's blue BMW bottom up in some ditch, top and sides all crushed and wheels still turning after being thrown harshly upside down.

Hillary shook her head vigorously. No, she was being silly and jumping to conclusions again; Tyson often reprimanded her for that. He was fine, Tyson was fine, she was sure of it. In fact, he was on his way home to her at that very moment.

Nodding in satisfaction, Hillary forced herself to relax. Moments later however, her frown returned and she looked down at the phone. Maybe he got stuck somewhere? Maybe he still had his cell phone on? Maybe she should call him?

The brunette took a deep breath and picked up the phone. After dialing the correct number with a shaky hand, she put the receiver to her ear and waited.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings....

Hillary waited for four or five rings until Tyson's answering machine finally cut in, telling her he wasn't available. With a frustrated sigh, she replaced the receiver back on it's stand and began pacing, her arms hugging herself tightly.

Perhaps Tyson had no service from the storm. Perhaps his business took longer then he'd expected and he'd simply had no time to call her; after all, when Tyson put his mind to something, he didn't stop until he was satisfied. Or perhaps he had tried to call her but he couldn't get a hold of her... for some reason... even though there were no calls on the caller ID...

Hillary sighed heavily and plopped down on the couch, clutching her stomach tightly as the sickening feeling grew to be almost unbearable. If all those things weren't true, then that only left one other thing that she could think of, something she'd been denying for a very long time -- Tyson was seeing someone else.

Brown eyes blurred instantly. The brunette had suspected such a thing for a very long time and until now she'd been able to come up with fool-proof excuses against it. But now, now she couldn't think of anything else. Sure, there probably _were _other reasons, but something deep down told her she'd denied the truth for too long and she'd better finally accept it because this time something was coming, and it wasn't just her husband.

One thought came to mind as the sickening truth finally began to sink in. Supposing Tyson was cheating on her, with whom? Was it a woman she knew or someone she didn't? Was it a close friend of hers or someone she'd never met before? Was it someone close to Tyson or just someone he'd taken to just for the soul purpose of.. well, having someone else? Hillary pictured and discarded many images in her head, trying to avoid a particular something nagging at the back of her mind. Finally the brunette was forced to admit that there was absolutely no woman Tyson could or would possibly go behind he back to. That only left one other possibility. The person he was going to wasn't a woman at all. Hillary's eyes narrowed angrily at this thought. If this was true, she knew exactly who such person was. Kai Hiwatari. She wasn't the only one who suspected it; others had subtly suggested it to her before as well but she'd merely brushed it aside claiming it to be barely friendship or brotherly love and nothing more. She refused to believe that Tyson would do such a thing, let alone with another man. No, it simply wasn't possible.

But now... actually embracing the thought and thinking it over, past memories of the two flashed through her mind. Kai and Tyson had always been a little closer then the others, or so it seemed; Tyson had been close with others as well but it was shown more openly with these two, with the others it was just friendship, she could see that. Yes, if Tyson had been with anyone else this night it would have been Kai, she was sure of it.

Deciding she'd worried herself too much already, Hillary took a deep breath, dried her tears and walked to the window. She parted the curtains slightly with as much steadiness as she could muster and starred into the abnormal blackness as she waited.

"Please gods..." She whispered softly. "God, angels, mother nature, the stars.... anyone.. whoever's listening... please bring him home safely... safe if nothing else.."

_Every light is burnin'  
In a house across town  
She's pacin' by the telephone  
In her faded flannel gown  
Askin' for miracle  
Hopin' she's not right  
Prayin' it's the weather  
That's kept him out all night  
And the thunder rolls  
And the thunder rolls_

The thunder rolls  
And the lightnin' strikes  
Another love grows cold  
On a sleepless night  
As the storm blows on  
Out of control  
Deep in her heart  
The thunder rolls

* * *

The frown adorning Tyson's face deepened as he noted what seemed to be every single light in his house to be lit up. When he finally pulled into the driveway his heart sank and the sickening feeling in his stomach intensified when he saw Hillary starring out the living room window.

Before he could shut the door of his car, the brunette was bolting down the front steps towards him. He swallowed hard and weakly lifted his arms to meet her embrace, but before contact could be established Hillary halted abruptly. Tyson starred at her in confusion as she starred back at him, a blank look on her face as the pelting rain drenched them both. Finally a flash of lightning lit the sky and illuminated the brunette's face, and in that instant Tyson knew that she knew exactly why he'd been so late in returning.__

She's waitin' by the window  
When he pulls into the drive  
She rushes out to hold him  
Thankful he's alive  
But on the wind and rain  
A strange new perfume blows  
And the lightnin' flashes in her eyes  
And he knows that she knows  
And the thunder rolls  
And the thunder rolls 

"Was it him?" She choked out, her voice just barely audible over the thunder and harsh rain.

Tyson's throat constricted and his heartbeat began to rival the thunder.

"What are you talking about?" He replied weakly, knowing he was only delaying the inevitable.

"Don't play dumb with me Tyson, I'm not stupid!" She yelled angrily. "Was it him or not?! I know you weren't gone on a business trip and I know you were with someone else! Tell me who you were with damn it! You at least own me that!!"

Tyson swallowed hard as he blinked rapidly, trying to see through the mixture of tears building up and rain obscuring his vision.

"I-.... Hillary I'm sorry..." Tyson choked painfully. "... I'm so so-"

"Don't you dare!!" The brunette screamed savagely. "I don't want to hear it you bastard! I don't give a damn about you and your sorries Tyson Granger! I want to know exactly who it is you go to damn-near every night! Exactly who it is that's so much better then me and means I'm not good enough for you!!"

Tyson's heart lurched at those words and he took a step towards the woman, noting the absolute agony in her face and voice.

"Hill..." He said softly, not sure if she could hear him over the noise of the weather. "It's not like that.. it's got nothing to do with you.. I never wanted to hurt you, I swear, it's just.. I-"

"TELL ME!!!"

Tyson stopped his advance and starred at the woman before him helplessly. Finally he let out a shaky breath and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he found himself enveloped in a tight embrace.

"He's been coming to ME!!"

Tyson's wide eyes matched Hillary's shocked face as they both looked at the person clinging tightly to Tyson, tears blurring and dulling the usually bright and happy eyes.

"Oh my God!" Hillary spat. "You!... I never... I never thought.. I didn't...."

A horribly sickening silence passed between the three as Hillary starred at the two people across from her, a mix of emotions swirling through inside. Finally, just when the other two thought they would explode from the anxiety, Hillary turned on her heels and bolted back into the house as fast as her legs could carry her.

Tyson frowned deeply and made to go after the woman but the arms around him tightened. The blunette looked down into the glossy eyes and his frown deepened.

"What are you doing here Max?" He said softly, his voice filled with emotion.

Max starred up at him, tears finally spilling down his cheeks.

"I was sick of it Tyson!" He choked painfully. "It's not fair! It's not fair to us and it's not fair to her. This has to end Tyson, tonight!"

Tyson closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Max, pulling him tight to his chest as the blonde sobbed softly.

"You're right." Tyson said softly. "This ends tonight. I've had enough too.... none of us deserves this and it was wrong of me to hurt Hillary this way... I never realized how cruel it was until tonight... I can't believe I've been so heartless!"

Max looked up into Tyson's face and reached up to gently brush away a few tears that had escaped his stormy blue eyes.

"It's not just your fault Tyson, it's mine too. We're both to blame here.... we'll sit and talk with her and we'll get all this straightened out. It'll all be OK, you'll see."

Tyson's face darkened more then it ever had in his entire life.

"I duno Maxie..." He said, his voice cracking slightly. "I have a feeling it's going to be different this time. I think tonight I've finally pushed her to far.... I think tonight I'm finally going to pay for what I've done to her...."

_The thunder rolls  
And the lightnin' strikes  
Another love grows cold  
On a sleepless night  
As the storm blows on__  
Out of control  
Deep in their hearts  
The thunder rolls_

* * *

Hillary threw the front door open and hurtled down the hallway then up a flight of stairs. Only one image loomed in her mind now and it would not go away. She was jealous, she was furious, but most of all, she was hurt. Tyson wouldn't get away with this, she'd make sure of it. She'd had enough and she didn't deserve what he'd done to her. Tonight she would get justice. Tonight it ended.

_She runs back down the hallway  
To the bedroom door  
__She reaches for the pistol  
Kept in the dresser drawer  
Tells the lady in the mirror  
He won't do this again  
Cause tonight will be the last time  
She'll wonder where he's been_

With the small projectile gripped tightly in her hand, Hillary flew back down the stairs and hallway and burst through the still open front door. Her hands shot up in front of her and her teeth clenched angrily as she slipped her finger into the trigger.

No doubt sensing themselves being watched, Tyson and Max both looked up. Hillary watched Tyson's eyes widen in shock and horror as the loud explosion overpowered the thunder. The moments following the incident flew by in a blur. One moment Tyson had been standing holding his partner in crime tightly, now he was on the ground covered in blood.

Hillary's face was contorted in shock, her finger still pulling the trigger but getting nothing more then a soft click from the empty chamber. There had been only one bullet in the gun and finally her hand froze in it's action. All sound around her had ceased and all she could see was the scene before her. Tyson was on the ground his face contorted in pain as he cradled Max's limp body, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood caused by the bullet meant for him. Both men were drenched in blood and the ground around them swirled with the crimson liquid.

Suddenly everything hit the brunette like a ton of bricks and she was instantly assaulted with the sounds around her; the sound of the raging storm around her, seemingly yelling at her for her awful deed, the pelting rain, and the sound of Tyson's ear-piercing screams as he endure more physical pain then a bullet could ever have caused him. If nothing else had come from the action, at least Hillary had her justice; never again would Tyson go behind her back to the man now bleeding in his arms.

_The thunder rolls  
And the lightnin' strikes  
Another love grows cold  
On a sleepless night  
As the storm blows on  
Out of control__  
Deep in their hearts  
The thunder rolls _


End file.
